Bell Chimes
by Tanokuya
Summary: AU. Kuroko Tetsuya quit basketball in his first year at Teikou, and has never looked back. Well into his second year, he's finding that his lost dream keeps popping back into his life through his colorful kouhai. Said kouhai can't help but be curious about the bell clad boy who juggles several jobs. Can these prodigies help him learn to love the game again? Kuro/GoM and Kuro/Momo.
1. The Haunted Gym and Broken Dreams

**[A/N] **Hey there, this is my first contribution to the 黒バス fandom, so I'm a little nervous. I hope you like my first chapter to, what I hope will be, an exciting story.

I would like to dedicate this to my great friends **Midori**, **Michiko** and **Zevi** for acting as beta readers and offering moral suppot. I love you guys XD

**Disclaimer: Of course, I do not own 黒子のバスケ**.

**Warnings: **AU. Kuroko is older than the other MiraGen by one year. Everyone else's ages are the same.

**Pairings: Slight Kuroko/MiraGen (sans Midorima) with final pairing of Kuro/Momo, and TakaMido. More may be included.**

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** Chapter 1: The Haunted Gym and Broken Dreams**

Kuroko Tetsuya loved basketball. He had loved it ever since he was a child who could barely dribble the ball properly let alone toss it high enough to fall into the hoop in his backyard. Back then his parents weren't so busy. His father would play with him every evening when he came home from work. Kuroko could honestly say those were the best days he could remember. They seemed so long ago.

Even when his father's presence on the court slowly came to a stop, Kuroko still loved to play. He played every day, after he'd finished his homework of course. He would never get better if his mother was constantly pulling him away to work on his studies. He awaited the day his father would once again join him in their yard for a game. He wanted to show him just how much he'd improved.

That day never seemed to get any closer. Soon his father began to leave overseas constantly. His mother would always tell him that his father's work was important, and required a lot of his time. She told him that everything his father did was for his future. Kuroko would always nod in response, no matter how sad it made him. Basketball was no fun when you have to play alone.

As he progressed through elementary school, Kuroko noticed that he was often overlooked. No one noticed him unless he spoke up, not even his teachers. When he tried to play basketball with others, they'd forget he was even in the game. As time passed he came to accept that he was always in the shadows. He even had a hard time making friends in school without taking his lack of presence into account.

The other students found his lack of expression and monotone responses to be a little creepy. No matter what hurdle he was presented with, he'd deal with it. He would never quit. All he wanted was to play basketball. Even if he was always forgotten, as long as he could stand on the court and be a part of a team he was content. All he had to do was improve, so much so that he would be noticed.

He entered Teikou Middle School, renowned for its top notch sports facilities and teams, with high hopes and an even stronger passion for the game. It was there that Kuroko Tetsuya's world fell apart.

* * *

Patience was something that Kuroko Tetsuya had a lot of. It took a lot to get on his nerves. There were not many things that could get that stoic expression off of his face. Something of that magnitude had certainly occurred lately, for Kuroko Tetsuya was angrily shooting basketballs at the hoop, missing every single shot. This wasn't too new to him. It seemed as though he had not improved much since elementary school, but that wasn't what was bothering him.

"I've failed to advance again."

Kuroko's emotionless voice echoed through the empty gym, breaking the tense silence that had been nearly deafening.

He was the only member of the basketball club's third string. The first and second stringers practiced in the first and second gyms. Kuroko had the entire third gym to himself. It was horribly lonely, but Kuroko had been good at ignoring that until now.

This was the third time he was tested to joined the second string, and he failed again. Nothing he did seemed to help at all. He had gotten into a habit of staying behind at school much later than the other club members to practice. It was better than going home to an empty house in his mind. He'd thought his extra effort would pay off in the long run.

He'd been hoping to finally advance to the second string so he could play on a team. Basketball was no fun if you were all alone. He learned that pretty quickly since he started practice. He watched as his last ball hit the rim of the hoop and fell back. He made no move to catch it as it bounced away. He could see its shape beginning to blur as tears pricked at his eyes. He hastily wiped them away before they could fall.

"Have I just been kidding myself all along?"

He glanced around the empty gym and scowled. It was all for nothing wasn't it? Kuroko could feel his anger and sadness welling up, his composure was slipping. He roughly kicked over the ball stand next to him.

"Arrrrrrgggggggggghhhh!" He let out an anguished scream. No one would be around to hear him anyway.

Feeling a bit better, he composed himself and collected the scattered balls and put them back on the rack to return them to the clubroom. He grabbed his things from the floor and pushed the rack back to the main gym, for what he felt would be the last time. He decided to stop fighting lost battles.

With everything in order he picked up his things and began his walk home. Within five minutes if leaving the school gates, it began to rain. It was almost like the skies were representing how he currently felt. Kuroko picked up his pace, hoping to minimize possible water damage to his school books. As he ran down the empty street, the wind sent a chill through him, bringing a small smile to his face. It was nice to be able to feel something other than hopelessness.

* * *

The next morning, Kuroko walked to school with a heavy conscience and an envelope in his hand. He stifled a yawn as he approached the main gym. Sleep wasn't something he had much of that night. He'd spent the majority of it staring at the ceiling and debating whether or not he would go through with his plans to quit.

The thought of giving up didn't sit well with him, but he found that feeling seemed to fade faster and faster with each passing hour.

The gym was loud as morning practice went on. Kuroko easily weaved through the various members to the office where the coach and manager usually were. He planned to deliver his resignation directly and leave quickly. He wanted a sense of finality rather than leaving it on the desk to be overlooked.

Much to his disappointment, the office was rather empty. Instead of just leaving, an idea that he found very appealing, he decided to ask some of the club members. With any luck they'd be able to point him in the right direction. Now for the ever enjoyable task of getting someone's attention...

* * *

Kuroko silently advanced toward a pair of second stringers headed back to the benches to cool off.

"Nice shot Takeda, keep that up and we'll make it to the first string in no time!" The taller of the two complimented his partner.

"I wouldn't go that far Noda-kun, the first stringers are really tough to compete against."

"You'll never advance thinking that way." Noda teased. "Never mind, let's just relax a little." He smiled sitting down and grabbing a water bottle.

Takeda nodded and joined the other, opening his bottle and taking a long gulp. Neither of them noticed the figure standing behind them.

"Excuse me..." A soft voice spoke up.

"Gaaaaah!" Takeda and Noda flew from their seats, spewing their water all over the floor. They turned to face the cause of their near heart attacks.

"Where the hell did you come from?" Noda nearly shouted. Takeda nodded in agreement.

"I've been here the whole time actually." Kuroko responded stoically. He was used to such questions anyway.

"O-oh.."

"I just have a question to ask, then I'll leave you two alone."

"Alright..."

"Where could I find the coach or manager? The office is empty." Kuroko went straight to the point. He didn't want to spend excessive time in the place he rather wanted to avoid these days.

"Oh, they both went out to take care of errands today." Takeda offered, trying to wipe up most of his spilled water on the floor.

"They should be back around afternoon practice though." Noda finished.

"Is that so..." Kuroko mumbled under his breath. "Thank you." With that, he seemingly vanished before the pair's eyes.

"Y-yeah..."

* * *

By the time Kuroko dragged himself back to the gym, everyone had finished their warm ups and were being split into teams to play practice matches. He quickly scanned the gym for the coach, managing to catch a glimpse of him heading to the supply room. Eager to get things over with, he made his way after him.

"Coach?" Kuroko spoke up as soon as he got close enough to be heard.

Said man jumped in surprise before turning to face the quiet teen.

"Yes? Did you need something?"

Kuroko clenched the envelope in his hand and took a deep breath...

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**A/N: **Thank you for reading my 'Pilot.' This chapter has been brought to you by copious amounts of pepsi, Step Up Revolution, and RADWIMPS music. If you liked this beginning please leave a review and let me know :)

P.S. If anyone can guess where the two second stringers' names came from you get a cookie.

P.P.S. How is the length? Should they be longer? They fine?


	2. Something to Pass the Time

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who favorited/followed this story. Virtual hugs for all my reviewers. I've decided that my updates might be a little irregular, but in exchange they'll be a little longer. And ** **7sheryl7** **correctly** **guessed that Takeda-san and Noda-san were spawned from my love for the RADWIMPS. While they -the characters- are not so creatively named, I will use them as Kuroko's coworkers and the people who keep Kuroko informed on the basketball club's changes. They will play no big roles, don't worry.**

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Important Note: I'm trying really hard to fit the events of my story into a believable time frame. The school year here will begin on April 6th and end on March 31.

"Speaking"

_'Thoughts'_

**Chapter 2: Something to Pass the Time**

One week had gone by since Kuroko Tetsuya quit the Basketball Club. Seven days since he lost the will to try. One hundred and sixty-eight hours since he last set foot in the school gym. Honestly, Kuroko felt out of place in this new cycle. Never before had he found himself with so much free time.

Usually he would be up early in the morning to attend morning practice, and stay after school until the evening for the same reasons. Now that he had no obligation to do either, he found himself not knowing what to do. Now he could sleep in a little later, or make himself a nice breakfast, which he found himself doing more often these mornings.

Walking home directly after classes, however, felt alien to him. The thought occurred to while he was walking home for the past week. The sun was still out, but winter was still upon them, and would be a while longer. It was much more lively than his old routine, even with the snow. The sun and other commuters beat his cold evening walks home.

Most of all, he didn't really like spend so much time at home. When he entered Teikou, his mother had decided to follow her own ambitions. She had been offered a position overseas, a it was a great opportunity to return to her passion for clothing design. She asked him if he'd be alright with it. He could have said no, but Kuroko never thought of himself first.

[Flashback]

It was the nearing the end of his sixth year of elementary school. Kuroko was up in his room, sprawled on his bed reading. His window was open, letting in a crisp, cool breeze that lightly ruffled his hair and the pages of his magazine.

"Tetsuya, dinner is ready!" He heard his mother call from downstairs. He put aside his 'Basketball Monthly' issue and headed down.

They sat in comfortable silence, just as they always did. Every now and then, his mother would ask about school, his club activities, and the like. He couldn't remember the last time they ever really had a conversation. He didn't feel strained from his mother, not at all. He and his mother were the quiet type, without his father with them, dinner was a quiet affair.

"Tetsuya?" He snapped to attention.

"Yes, mother?"

"I was offered a job recently." She said simply. "It's a very generous offer."

His mother worked in clothing design, she had a real passion for it. It was nothing too big, but she was very good in coming up with new design concepts. One of her projects must have done very well and garnered the attention of some higher ups.

"Oh?" Kuroko could almost guess where this was headed.

"It's overseas, I know having you father away all the time is hard...so I wanted to ask your thoughts first." She leveled a gentle expression on her son.

"If you don't feel comfortable about me leaving as well, I'll decline the offer." She smiled. " Your feelings matter to me more than any job."

Kuroko's face remained blank, but on the inside, he was in turmoil. He didn't want her to go, he didn't want to be alone. He also didn't want to be the one to hold her back from doing something she really wanted to.

"I don't mind." He replied. _'Liar'_

"Are you sure?" His mother asked.

"Yes. I'm happy for you." He gave his best convincing smile.

[Flashback End]

No matter how lonely he felt now, he would always feel a twinge of happiness when he received packages from his parents. His mother would send him her latest designs, she was working on a catalogue, and very excited about it. Kuroko's wardrobe was expanding at an incredible rate, it was a shame he never really had an opportunity to wear clothes that wouldn't be in stores for a good while.

His father was an Architect. He mainly did office buildings for businesses and worked on a few malls in Los Angeles. He told Kuroko that he was in the process of designing a house for them. He didn't send many things, but called whenever he could. It was nice, but a lot of time passed between those calls.

It didn't matter though. Kuroko would preserve. He couldn't bring himself to be selfish, no matter how much h wished they would return soon. For now, he just had to find a way to pass the time.

* * *

The answer to Kuroko's dilemma came to him during his walk home from a nearby park. He had decided to hang around there instead of going straight home after school. He sat on the benches, his bag by his side, taking in the fresh air that came along with the arrival of Spring.

He made a mental note to bring a book with him next time. The temperature was still a little on the cold side, but Kuroko could stand it. . January was coming to a close and it was starting to warm up quite early. Perhaps the snow would come to a stop early February, it was only a week away.

As much as he liked the park's atmosphere, it wasn't a long term solution. Sooner or later it would get busy. Kuroko didn't care for crowds. Before he knew it, it was nearing six-thirty in the evening. It was gradually getting darker and colder, so he headed home. On a whim, he entered a convenience store to get a few snacks and some bread for breakfast.

On the window he saw a 'Now Hiring' sign hidden by the corners of various advertisements.

"A part time job..."

The notion didn't sound bad at all. Kuroko was actually very attracted to the idea. He never really had any reason to consider getting one before. He didn't have a real need for money. All bills were set up on an automatic payment schedule using an account his parents set up. He also had a prepaid card that was to be used for groceries and other necessities. In that way, Kuroko was quite sheltered.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt an urge to be more independent. This goal quickly cemented itself in his mind. Kuroko hurried to pick up the things he came for, eager to ask about the employment offer.

* * *

January had ended in a blur for Kuroko, in his anticipation, his birthday nearly breezed past him. Of course, he received calls from his parents and had a slice of cake from a bakery that had opened not too far from Teikou. With this advancement in his age, he could apply for a permit to hold a part-time job while completing his compulsory education.

The store was very helpful in giving Kuroko the information he wanted. He told him that if he was able to get a permit to work and kept his grades up, he would give him a probationary position. It would help him get experience as he went along too. He managed to talk his parents into the idea and apply within the week.

February brought him a sense of excitement he hadn't felt since he first joined the basketball club. He had put an extra effort in his school studies in preparation. He wanted to better his chances of getting this to work for him. When he put his mind to something, he really gave it his all.

To keep himself from fidgeting over his waiting period, he had tried out a few hobbies he had been curious about. As a result, he was now privy to his latent baking abilities, as well as his failure in western cooking and poetry.

He watched his mailbox from the kitchen window like a hawk.

He received a call the other day informing him that his application was accepted and would have all his official documents mailed to him within the next days. Everything was falling into place.

* * *

April 6th caught Kuroko by surprise. Had a new year already started? It felt like only yesterday he started his first year of middle school, and now he was going on to his second. The school entrance was bristling with the chatter of the incoming first years. Easily weaving through the crowd, he searched the class lists for his new homeroom and headed over.

He went about the day with little difficulty. Just as last year, getting his teacher to notice him would be inconvenient, but not impossible...with enough time. He did make sure to sign up for the library committee again. He decided against joining another club in favor of devoting his time to his new job.

Most wouldn't be as thrilled as he was to be a store cashier, but he felt fulfilled. Granted, it was only a probationary position and could be cancelled at any point, he always did his best. The extra money was promptly deposited into his own account. It never hurt to start good saving habits.

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Three Months Later

Business was booming today. There was no shortage of students buying ice cream or cold drinks to beat the heat that came every summer. The majority were Teikou students, unsurprisingly. Today was also Kuroko's last day working at this store. His probation period just ended, and they were going to fill his slot with another applicant.

Kuroko was not sad about it. Now he was free to apply for a regular position if he wanted, but declined the offer. He had other things in mind. He would miss this place, he learned quite a bit from his stay and was grateful for the experience.

"Kuroko-kun, your shift is over." A voice beckoned him from the register.

"Thank you Kuwahara-san." He nodded to his coworker Kuwahara Akie. "You going to take over?"

"Yeah." She smiled. "I'll miss having you around."

He nodded in response and went to turn in his apron. Grabbing his bag and his school sweater, he left the locker room. Everything else had already been settled earlier, so he could just leave. He quickly said farewell to the manger and headed for the door.

"Kuroko-kun!" Akie called him back and gave him an ice cream. "It's a going away present. My treat."

"Thanks." Kuroko unwrapped it. Vanilla, his favorite. He ate it quickly as he exited, it was already melting.

Outside there were groups of Teikou students chatting among friends and eating ice cream. He had now finished his own and was going to throw it away, when he noticed the 'winner' on the stick. It would be a waste to throw it away. He could get a free ice cream later on. He tucked it in to his bag and turned towards his neighborhood.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of pink. There was a girl standing apart from the others looking towards them longingly. With closer inspection Kuroko saw she seem more interested in the ice cream than anything else. Maybe she didn't have money for one. These popsicles were pretty cheap, maybe she forgot her wallet somewhere.

The next thing Kuroko knew he was in front of this girl and handing over his ice cream stick.

"I don't need this anymore. You can have it."

She looked confused as he swiftly turned away and left. He had done his good deed of the day.

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**An there we go. This chapter gave me a headache when I started it, pesky Child Labor Laws and all. I hope you guys are willing to accept my exploitation of this AU. Next chapter will feature the rest of the GoM at last! Starting with my personal favorite: Murasakibara. Also, a time skip. **

**Fun fact: When I was first considering this story, the pair was going to be Mura/Kuro. In the end, I was swayed by a certain post on the kurokoconfessions tumblr and my own fondness for the couple to make this a KuroMomo story.**


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